Plant of the Week: Tree known since biblical times wards off evil spirits

1 week ago Cyprus Mail CyprusMail Cool

Plant of the Week: Tree known since biblical...

Name: Styrax (Styrax benzoin)

Otherwise known as: Gum Benjamin, Benzoin

Habitat: A tree member of the Styraceae family growing up to 15m in tropical forests and native to South East Asia. It has a grey bark, pointed ovoid leaves and short racemes of white bell-shaped flowers. The resin is known to give rise to hallucinations when consumed.

What does it do: The bark of the mature tree is tapped annually to produce the highly aromatic resin that hardens on exposure to air and sunlight, which has been used for millennia as a medicine and in religious ceremonies.

Biblical scholars believe that...

Read all latest: Cyprus Coronavirus News Updates - Live

This article was automatically added to our system 1 week ago

Plant of the Week: Tree known since biblical times wards off evil spirits

Trending Cyprus News

Coronavirus: 22 people report side-effect from jab
Cyprus recorded 22 possible side-effects during the first month of Covid-19 vaccinations, the health ministry’s pharmaceutical services said on...
Health Minister to announce path of relaxation of covid...
Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou on Wednesday will announce the way the strict coronavirus measures now in effect in Cyprus will be gradually...
Coronavirus: limited reopening from February 1, schools...
The government on Wednesday announced the easing of Covid restrictions, including reopening hairdressers and beauticians on Monday and primary...
Coronavirus: Two men die, no underlying health conditions...
Two men have died, and another 126 people have tested positive for coronavirus, the health ministry said on Monday. Neither of the two...
The measures relating to flights and airports shall be...
The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works announces that during today’s meeting, the Council of Ministers decided to extend the...
Cyprus health minister: Full statement on Covid
The Minister of Health, Mr Constantinos Ioannou, gives a press conference on the decisions of the Council of Ministers regarding the lifting of...
Pournara residents protest harsh camp conditions
Asylum seekers living in the Pournara camp located at the outskirts of Nicosia staged a peaceful protest on Monday against the delays in the...
Coronavirus: New record for bookings
Police booked 169 individuals and one kiosk owner in the 24 hours until 6am on Monday for violations of coronavirus measures, a new record....
Latest Cyprus Coronavirus News Updates...
Read the latest Cyprus Coronavirus News from all news sources together in one place - updated 24/7...